Swimming gear



l. F. EDWINE SWIMMING GEAR Aug; s, 1939.

Filed July 2, 1938 INVENTOR fda 177 [are ATTORNEY.

Patented` Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE SWIMMING `GEARl Ida Florence Redwine, Waltham, Mass. Application July'2, 1938, Serial No. 217,162 Claims. (Cl. 9-17) This invention relates to :improvements in head isat water level. Or, tie strings may extend :swimming gear. from the flap, to be tied under the chin, or to cross More particularly it provides an inflatable deand tie to the shoulder straps of a bathing suit. vice lwith lmeans for arranging it in the neck Any well known means, with or without a valve,

5 region-below the back of a'persons head, as an aid may be provided for inflating the flap device to a -5 in maintaining a bathers head above the surface practicable size. of the Water. It is intended that the patent shall cover, by It has been proposed heretofore to make bathsuitable exp-ression in the appended claims, whating caps with inflatable portions built into the cap ever features of patentable novelty exist in the lo for buoyancy, But all such, so far as I am aware, invention disclosed. 1

have the inherent evil that the air pressure within In the accompanying drawing: 'the inflated portions of the cap continually Figure 1 is a perspective showing of inflated presses on the `vvearers head, with consequent headgear, embodying features of the invention, as discomfort, and, in many cases, with continuing when in use;

tendency of the cap to vthrust itself off the head. Figure 2 is an elevation of a headgear similar to 115 If this is opposed by a strap fastening under the that of Figure 1 with the buoyancy device deflated chin, that strap is kept uncomfortably tight by and secured to a strap band all along its top edge; the air pressure in the cap working against it. Figure 3 is an elevation of a fragment of the The present linvention provides a buoyant supdevice of Figure 2, looking at the rear side,

`port which may be securedto the head but whose thereof; 20 ination does not put discomforting pressure on Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the head or on any other part of the wearers stiffening means for preventing the buoyancy person. device from rising from its position at the neck;

This invention provides both secure attachment Figure 5 S an clevatiOn in medial SectiOn of the buoyancy means uncler'the head, and buoythrough one of the stiffeners; and 25 ant support ofthe head, without the buoyant lift, Figure 6 is a perspective of a modified form of or the air pressure, tending to remove the device deVCe. looking at the rear Side thereOffrom the head. Referring to the drawing, the invention is illus- Still another feature is that the buoyant ele- 'trated-as embodied in swimming gear comprising l ment with its head-engaging carrier can be worn la vmesh or skeleton cap of straps Il! and l2, of 130 on a persons'head, with an ordinary bathing cap; which the strap lll is a circular band, for extendor it may be built as an addition to a bathing cap, ing around the head, and the straps I2 have their with the cap serving the function of the headlends secured to the strap l!) on opposite sides of engaging carrier. the-head, with their respective'curvatures adapted It is, moreover, an important feature that the to extend over the crown of the head. Although 35 invention may be made of inexpensive flexible this skeleton structure at present is preferred, it materials which permit of the folding of the will be obvious that any head piece which fits with device into a compact and small parcel. suitable security might be employed as a carrier The device as a Whole can serve effectively and for the buoyancy device I4 now to be described.

40 beneficially as an aid in keeping ones head above Whether a full cap be used, as an ordinary rubber 40 water, both as an assurance of safety in bathing, bathing cap, or the skeleton cap above noted, and as an aid in learning to swim. there will be the strap lll or its equivalent passing The invention attains these objects and results around the brow and under the back of the head by shaping and mounting an inflatable device as to constitute a securely held band, which can an appendage or flap depending from a headmake the buoyant element remain under the back 45 fitting mesh or cap, so as to lie across the back of of the neck and head.

a persons neck. The device may be permanently In use, the headgear will be fitted on the head or detachably secured to the head engaging dewith the flap-bag Hi at the back of the neck. vice; and it may be secured to the mesh or cap in The bag may be inflated through any suitable a manner which permits it to rise as on a hinge to mouth tube I6, which may then be folded and 60 lie against the back of the head; or stiff bones may secured upon itself to prevent escape of air; extend down from the cap along the neck, to or an automatic valve may control the inflating maintain it in position across the neck Where it and deflating. will be likely to be submerged and so always to Figure 1 showsy bag I4 of two sheets of rubbercontribute buoyancy to the wearer whenever the ized fabric inflated, joined at the edges, and 55 serving as a buoyancy element engaged under the head, across the back of the neck of the bather. The air capacity of bag I4 may vary at choice of the maker, but is represented large enough to constitute a substantial aid to the maintenance of the surface of the Water.

Figure 4 illustrates how the flap I4 may be stily held down close to the neck by extensions I8 of two of the straps l2, resisting its buoyant These stiieners may be thin, stiff bars of steel suitably curved to avoid discomfort of a persons piece should be washed 01T.

Figure 6 shows a skeleton cap which may be made of suitably heavy rubber, such as the rubber customarily used for bathing caps.

face of Water, or may be tied against the neck as suggested in regard to flap I4.

It will be understood that the statements regarding utility and comfort of this buoyant element for persons who are not accomplished swimmers does not imply that it is a life saving device. The buoyant volume illustrated is to learners and bathers helpful and encouraging as an aid to flotation but is not enough to be controlling as a safety device.

I claim as my invention:

1. Swimming gear comprising an inatable buoyancy element; means adapted to t on a persons head for securing said element at the back of that persons neck; said buoyancy element having extent in direction crosswise of the neck considerably exceeding the width of the ment to the head-fitting means,

2. Swimming connection to said head-tting means at a location which will be at the lower back of the head head-tting means at a neck considerably exceeding the width of the back of a persons nec and having its greatest vertical extent in the mid-region behind the persons neck, with connection to said head-fitting means at the region of its said greatest vertical extent.

IDA FLORENCE REDWINE. 

